INTERVIEWS

Breweries and pub companies normally run two types of interview – a general or preliminary interview, and a pub-specific interview. General interviews are for applicants who have registered with the brewery or pub company, but who have not yet applied for a specific pub vacancy. These interviews may be conducted by the recruitment department or a Business Development Manager/Area Manager, or both. The purpose of this interview is to see if you have the general skills, abilities and personality to operate a pub. It also establishes your financial position.

The outcome of this interview will be either that you are added to the brewery or pub company database of prospective licensees, or be advised that you do not meet the required criteria. Anyone on the database will normally be kept up to date on which pubs are available.

Pub-specific interviews are aimed at filling specific pub vacancies. Applicants applying for individual pubs may have already had a general interview or this interview may be their first. The interview will be carried out by the Business Development Manager/Area Manager who is responsible for the pub. They will decide who is offered the pub, based on these interviews. Where there are two candidates who are closely matched, a further meeting may take place, before a final decision is made.

Here are some interview tips:

• Present yourself as the solution to the Business Development Manager/ Area Manager’s problem.
• Research the pub and area well.
• Prepare a business plan for the pub.
• Ensure that you are clear about how you will fund the business.
• Bring confirmation of your financial position (bank statements etc), plus any letters from lenders agreeing in principle to provide additional finance.
• Turn up a little early.
• Be smart and well presented.
• Prepare for any questions that you may be asked.
• Ask for confirmation of barrelage and rent figures.
• Ask why the vacancy has occurred.
• Ask whether there are any major issues about the pub that you should be aware of.
• Clarify anything you are unsure about.
• Try to relax – Business Development Managers/Area Managers tend to be easy-going people; the interview should not be too gruelling!